Ms Bonita Bigham, of Manaia, KSM for services to local government and Māori
Ms Bonita Bigham (Ngāruahine, Te Ātiawa) is a Taranaki Regional Councillor and Local Government Commissioner. She was a South Taranaki District Councillor, Ngāti Tāwhirikura hapū trustee, Waiokura Marae trustee and Ngāti Tū hapū chair. She sat on Ngāruahine’s pre- and post-Treaty settlement entities.
She serves on Te Puna, Taumata Arowai’s Māori advisory committee, and chaired Lotteries Oranga Marae. She sat on the Taranaki/Whanganui Conservation Board, New Zealand Geographic Board and Toi Aotearoa Creative New Zealand’s Arts Council. As an artist and advocate, Ms Bigham has spoken at the United Nations and other international forums on Māori and indigenous artistic rights.